Cree health board installs traditional shaptuaan at Chisasibi hospital

"When we brought them in the shaptuaan, we could see immediately their smiles," said Gary Chewanish, coordinator of administrative services at the Chisasibi hospital, after the official inauguration on Aug.29.

The shaptuaan floor is covered on one side with spruce boughs, with wheelchair access on the other side, and a cooking pit in the middle for preparing wild game.

It is also intended to be a place where non-Cree employees of the health board can familiarize themselves with the local culture.

It'spart of the health board's efforts to implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's recommendations concerning Indigenous healing practices and cultural competency for health care workers.

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"Three people [at the inauguration]told stories about the residential school era," said Chewanish. "And the non-Indigenous people who were there were very happy to hear about Cree culture."

TheChisasibihospital houses about 40 patients from the James Bay area of Quebec.

*Note: There are multiple accepted spellings of the word "shaptuaan" shaputuan,sabtuan, shaptuan, shaputuan andshaapuhtiwaan arealso commonly used.